1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for a heat exchanger.
2. Background Art
Heat exchanger assemblies, such as an automobile radiator, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler, and the like are typically used to transfer heat from a fluid on one side of a barrier to a fluid on the other side without bringing the fluids into direct contact. Heat exchangers are used with several types of fluids, for example: air-to-air, air-to-water or water-to-water (or exhaust gas, coolant, etc.).
However, conventional heat exchangers have a number of deficiencies. The deficiencies of conventional heat exchangers include thermal stress in critical areas at the inlet which can cause fractures and failures of the heat exchanger, local “hot spots” due to stagnant water flow areas by the hot passage, poorly shaped return tank and poor flow distribution, excessive gas pressure loss through the cooler thereby causing poor cooler thermal efficiency, trapped vapor pockets (e.g., bubbles) and film boiling in liquid coolant, poor heat rejection, re-circulation on the inlet side of the header tank and non-uniform gas mass flux to the inlet tubes, re-circulation of coolant in the heat exchanger (in particular, re-circulation of coolant at the turnaround section), and excessive coolant flow short circuit (i.e., coolant that does not flow past the gas flow tubes) velocities (and reduced coolant flow across the gas tubes).
Thus, there exists a need and an opportunity for an improved system and an improved method for heat exchangers that addresses some or all of the deficiencies noted above.